Amendments tabled by the Patriots for Europe (PfE) Group on 17 June 2026 would significantly toughen a joint European Parliament resolution on political repression and the humanitarian situation in Cuba, replacing calls for a suspension of the EU-Cuba Political Dialogue and Cooperation Agreement (PDCA) with a demand for its immediate termination. The two amendments, authored by MEPs Hermann Tertsch and Jorge Martín Frías, also label the Cuban government a "tyranny" and the "sole culprit" of the population's material suffering, a characterisation absent from the original text.
The joint motion for a resolution, originally tabled by the European People's Party (EPP), the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR), and Renew Europe, takes a more conditional approach. It calls for the activation of the PDCA's suspension clause, linked to a roadmap for democratic transition. The PfE amendments reject this gradualism, instead demanding the immediate activation of Article 85(3)(b) of the PDCA, which provides for the agreement's termination. The amendments accuse the EU of "flagrantly and consciously violating a legal clause" by failing to invoke this provision, escalating political pressure on EU institutions. The original text's reference to a democratic roadmap is removed entirely.
As proposed amendments, these changes have not been adopted by the European Parliament. They will be examined and voted on during the plenary session, where the joint resolution is scheduled for debate. The outcome will determine whether the Parliament's final position aligns with the PfE's hardline stance or the more moderate approach of the three mainstream groups. The resolution, regardless of its final form, is non-binding but carries political weight in shaping EU foreign policy toward Cuba. Stakeholders impacted include the Cuban government, which faces potential diplomatic isolation; EU institutions, which would have to navigate a more confrontational relationship with Havana; and EU member states with economic ties to Cuba, who may face pressure to align with a tougher EU line. The amendments also risk deepening divisions within the Parliament between groups favouring punitive measures and those prioritising dialogue.
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